COVID-19 UPDATES
To view a breakdown of COVID-19 cases by race and ethnicity (updated on Mondays), click this link. Click here to view the “Key Indicators” data dashboard.
Since yesterday’s update, Public Health -- Seattle & King County is reporting these numbers as of this afternoon:
- 165 new positive cases of COVID-19 (74,727 total).
- 12 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,227 total)
- 1 new hospitalization (4,726 to date)
- On Sunday, January 24th, Public Health reported 348 new positive cases of COVID-19 (74,562 total) and 0 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,215 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 38 (4,725 total).
- On Saturday, January 23rd, Public Health reported 413 new positive cases of COVID-19 (74,214 total) and 1 new COVID-19-related death (1,215 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 4 (4,687 total).
- On Friday, January 22nd, Public Health reported 413 new positive cases of COVID-19 (73,801 total) and 8 new COVID-19-related deaths (1,214 total). The number of new hospitalizations was 19 (4,683 total).
Monday, January 25, 2021, data note from the state DOH: Total case counts are incomplete today due to an interruption in DOH’s data processes. Negative test results data from November 21-30, 2020, and January 5 through today, are incomplete. Thus, negative test results and percent positivity (Testing tab), and case counts should be interpreted with caution. The Epidemiologic Curves tab is the most accurate representation of COVID activity and is updated daily as new cases are identified.
Statewide, according to the DOH, as of today, with the caveats mentioned above, the total number of confirmed positive cases is 288,948. The total number of probable cases is 13,193, for a total of 302,141 cases. The total number of deaths statewide is 4,148, and total hospitalizations are 17,259.
   
COVID AND OTHER UPDATES
New COVID-19 strain found in Washington state
 See these updates from Public Health – Seattle & King County (Public Health) and the state Department of Health (DOH) on the discovery of the new COVID-19 strain in our state:
- The new variant COVID-19 strain is here. Here’s what you need to know. – Public Health
- First cases of U.K. COVID-19 strain found in Washington state - DOH
- Highly contagious U.K. COVID-19 strain found in Snohomish County – The Seattle Times
- COVID-19 variant confirmed In Pierce County – Yahoo News
Vaccination information
This page (updated on January 22) will connect you to the state DOH’s Vaccine Phase Finder tool – which allows you to check your eligibility under the current phase - and list of vaccine locations.
Again, we are currently in Phase 1B tier 1 of vaccine distribution. The vaccine is available to anyone 65 and older, and all people 50 and older who also live in a multigenerational household. This is in addition to populations eligible during Phase 1A including health care workers at high risk for COVID-19 infection, first responders, people who live or work in long-term care facilities, and all other workers in health settings who are at risk of COVID-19.
See this visual timeline for more information on vaccination phases. Also, see this County webpage, updated frequently: Getting vaccinated in King County.
The section entitled, "How to get vaccinated,” includes instructions as to what to bring to your vaccination appointment, including:
- Identification with date of birth: state, tribe, or federal issued ID. (Employee ID can be used to show Phase 1A eligibility.)
- Confirmation of eligibility: bring the Phase Finder eligibility confirmation page, printed or viewable on a mobile device. (For those in Phase 1A, a voucher letter from your employer can also be used. Voucher letters should include the employee's name and a statement verifying that Phase 1A eligibility guidelines are met as specified by DOH.)
- Wear short sleeves or loose-fitting sleeves that are easy to roll up.
News articles on vaccination
- Why you should still wear a mask and avoid crowds after getting the COVID-19 vaccine - NPR
- As Washington state aims to vaccinate millions against COVID-19, thousands sign up to help – The Seattle Times
- Opinion: Antibody-assisted vaccination will speed the path to protection – Stat News
- Seniors seeking vaccine: ‘It shouldn’t be this difficult’ – KIRO 7 News
- Which COVID-19 vaccine should I get? What to tell your patients – AMA News
- Washington ranks 37th in nation for percentage of vaccine doses used, vows to do better – Q13
- Long lines at vaccine clinics frustrate eligible Washington residents – KING 5 News
- Washington state health department opening four mass vaccination sites – The Seattle Times
- Mass vaccination sites set up around Seattle: Goal is 45,000 shots per day in state - KUOW
- How the U.S. could double vaccination pace with existing supply – The New York Times
- Biden inherits a vaccine supply unlikely to grow before April - The New York Times
- Pfizer will ship fewer vaccine vials to account for ‘extra’ doses – The New York Times
- Having trouble finding a vaccine appointment in Seattle? You’re not alone - KUOW
- Seattle set to vaccinate older, vulnerable adults in supportive housing in next round of mobile vaccination effort – South Seattle Emerald
- What to do if you think you qualify for a COVID-19 vaccine — and what to do after you receive it – The Seattle Times
- Washington state lawmakers propose a $2.2 billion COVID-19 package supporting renters, vaccinations, businesses – The Seattle Times
County Council to take up motion on vaccine planning tomorrow
The full Council will meet tomorrow, Tuesday January 26th at 1 p.m. on Zoom and the public is welcome to join and provide comments. As I mentioned in my introduction above, my colleagues Councilmembers Dembowski, Dunn, and von Reichbauer and I will be putting forward a motion to update and clarify the County’s vaccine planning process. For full information on viewing the meeting, providing public comment and to see the agenda and meeting materials, click here.
Lessons of COVID
In this fascinating article, Crosscut interviews health care workers on what they’ve learned about the virus over the last year.
Preventing a black market for COVID-19 vaccines: Video chat Thursday at 10 a.m.
 Join reporters from Stat News this Thursday, January 28th at 10:00 a.m. PT as they talk with a panel of experts on preventing a COVID vaccine black market. Some experts say that it is inevitable that the rich and powerful will find ways to jump the line for the COVID-19 vaccines. What can be done to prevent this? STAT reporters Olivia Goldhill and Nicholas St. Fleur will convene a panel of experts to discuss how to make sure the shots get to where they need to go.
Mental health in the time of COVID-19: Forum Wednesday at 10 a.m. PT
 The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, along with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) invites the public to join a forum this Wednesday on the mental health challenges of the pandemic. Black, Latinx and Indigenous populations, frontline workers, and young people face disproportionate mental health risks. This event will shine a light on the often-hidden mental trauma of the coronavirus pandemic and explore ways to move forward.
Click here for more information and to register to watch online. The event will be moderated by Jane Pauley, Television Journalist and Author (@RealJanePauley). The public can send questions for the panelists to theforum@hsph.harvard.edu.
REMINDER: Application deadline is February 1: Help for hospitality workers impacted by COVID-19
The City of Seattle has partnered with Wellspring Family Services to provide one-time cash assistance for workers in the hospitality industry who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are available to low-income workers who live and work in Seattle and have lost their jobs or had their hours cut because of business changes during the COVID-19 crisis.
To apply, or learn more about the program, visit this website in English, or this site in Spanish. These benefits are available regardless of the person’s immigration status. See these FAQs for more information.
Shuttered venue operators grant: City of Seattle
 Photo by Ludovic Migneault on Unsplash
The City of Seattle has resources available to help live music venues, museums, movie houses and other businesses and non-profits access COVID-19 funding. The new federal stimulus package provides up to $10 million in grants to venue operators impacted by COVID-19, in addition to renewed funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury and Disaster Loans (EIDL).
For assistance in applying for the grant contact the City’s Office of Economic Development (OED) at (206) 684-8090 or oed@seattle.gov. Learn more about these federal resources on the City’s OED website.
REMINDER: Letters of Interest for youth sports grants due Wednesday, January 27 at noon
The King County Parks Department is seeking applications for its Youth Sports grants. The deadline for Letters of Interest is this Wednesday, January 27th at noon. You can find the grant program guidelines (PDF) here. The grants fund both capital projects and programs. Apply through the online grant portal. Councilmembers are also able to distribute Councilmanic funds for youth and amateur sports to local organizations. We’ll provide specific information in an upcoming e-News.
King County Coalition Against Hate and Bias (KCAHB) in conversation with Enrique Cerna: Thursday at 2:30 p.m. PT
 KCAHB’s goal is to document systematic oppression by collecting individual stories from our communities. All reports are recorded anonymously with discretion by their team who are BIPOC residents of the area. If you or someone you know has been a target of racism, homophobia, misogyny, ableism, xenophobia, transphobia, ageism, colorism or another form of discrimination, please consider joining this conversation hosted by United Indians of All Tribes Foundation. I will be making introductory remarks. The conversation will be moderated by Seattle broadcast journalist Enrique Cerna on Thursday, January 28th at 2:30 p.m. Click here to register.
Council’s Mobility and Environment Committee to be briefed on County’s climate plan Wednesday
This Wednesday, January 27th the Council’s Mobility and Environment Committee will be meeting. The Committee has a very full agenda, including a briefing on the Executive’s proposed update to the County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan. King County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan (SCAP) is a five-year blueprint for County climate action, integrating climate change into all areas of County operations and work with King County cities, partners, communities, and residents. The SCAP outlines King County’s priorities and commitments for climate action for decision-makers, employees, partners, and the public. The public is welcome to view the meeting and offer public comment. For full information on viewing the meeting, providing public comment and to see the agenda and meeting materials, click here.
Closed captions now available on KCTV
King County TV (KCTV) is now providing closed captions for meetings on the County’s live stream and Comcast Channels. To access captions enable “CC” on your computer or television screen. (Note that the captions are computer generated. So, there will be typos.)
King County Metro’s rider dashboard now available in more languages
 Metro’s new Rider Dashboard, also known as “The Dash,” is now available in eight additional languages apart from English and Spanish. The Dash provides up-to-date answers to frequently asked questions about transit. It also displays data on ridership, mask use, trips that exceed passenger capacity limits and bus stop pass-ups. For more information on the dashboard, see this Metro Matters blog post.
Executive Constantine and Mayor Durkan announce Seattle voter-funded transit service contract: If approved by councils, riders to see service maintained and new benefits in September
 Last November, Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved the City of Seattle’s new Seattle Transportation Benefit District (STBD), which calls for a sales tax to maintain equitable access to transit and enables Metro to rapidly scale-up service as the region recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week, Mayor Durkan and Executive Constantine announced a new proposed contract for bus service funded by the voter-approved Seattle Transportation Benefit District. Read the press release here. The six-year measure could fund approximately 170,000 Metro bus service hours annually, based on revenue projections.
DID YOU KNOW?
… that the Washington Territorial Library was established in 1853, in the same legislation that created the Washington Territory? According to Wikipedia, “The law included an appropriation of $5,000 for the territory library that was used by appointed Territorial Governor Issac Stevens to buy and ship 2,130 volumes from New York City to Olympia…” The first shipment of books traveled around Cape Horn and South America, leaving New York in May of 1853 and arriving in Olympia in October.
Additional helpful and informative links
- U.S. coronavirus cases are falling, but variants could erase progress – The New York Times
- US virus numbers drop, but race against new strains heats up – The Seattle Times
- Opinion: The day we let COVID-19 spin out of control – Stat News
- Staying safe in the time of coronavirus: pay attention to ‘the guy you know’ – Stat News
- If you haven’t been double-masking, research says to start now – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- COVID-19 spikes fourfold among Washington’s Latinos, and it’s reaching almost every corner of the population – The Seattle Times
- U.S. COVID cases found as early as December 2019, says study – Bloomberg News
- Current, deadly U.S. coronavirus surge has peaked, researchers say – NPR (Though “… another surge remains possible, especially with new, more infectious variants on the horizon…”)
- Pandemic updates: COVID-19 in the Northwest - KUOW
- Washington state hotel industry eyes recovery – KING 5
- Many Seattle hotels implementing new coronavirus safety measures to win back guests - KING 5
- No Mask, No Fly: Biden signs order requiring face coverings on planes - KUOW
- Coronavirus FAQ: Why am I suddenly hearing so much about KF94 masks? - NPR
- A hard year for those without shelter: Death rates rose and pressures increased for the homeless during the pandemic - South Seattle Emerald
- Woodland Park Zoo’s new tiger was one of the world’s first animals to test positive for coronavirus. She made a full recovery. – The Seattle Times
- Allen Family Foundation boosts COVID-19-related funding for hard-hit areas in Washington state – The Seattle Times
- 13,000 School Districts, 13,000 Approaches to Teaching During COVID – The New York Times
- Stimulus check update: Now that Biden is in office, how soon could you see a $1,400 check? – KIRO 7
- Editor’s Notebook: The power of Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem - Crosscut
- EPA loans King County $96.8 million to prevent untreated water from spilling into Puget Sound – Bothell Reporter
- Council Vice Chair Dunn calls for answers on recent Puget Sound wastewater spill – Voice of the Valley
- Human trafficking awareness campaign draws big response – Auburn Examiner
- Biden has big plans for homelessness — but will they help Seattle? – The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration
 Photo by Alan Berner / The Seattle Times
Today’s moment of inspiration comes from a local woman. The Seattle Times reports on Pauline Van Senus, aka “The Transit Fairy,” a transit rider who has taken it upon herself to clean up Seattle’s bus stops. According to the article, “Van Senus has been cleaning up trash around bus stops and other public spaces off and on for years…” When the pandemic slowed down her housecleaning business, she started cleaning transit stops “…a few times each week, depending on the weather, for about an hour at a time.” Read the full story here.
Keep in touch
Thank you again for taking the time to read my updates, which I am now sending out on Mondays and Thursdays. Feel free to forward them to others who can subscribe by clicking here. And you can click here to visit the archive page where you can find all of my previous enews updates.
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